Page 116 of The Seducer
Pearl and Khan exchanged a long look and she bit her lip. “Who else could it be?” she said as if answering a silent question from Khan.
“Boulder told you?” Khan said and it sounded accusing, but I didn’t answer because the sound of big boots made me look up to see Magni walk in.
“Morning,” he grunted and just one look at him had me flying up from my chair. “Are you okay?”
Magni’s face and knuckles were smeared in blood and dirt. His eyes were bloodshot and he smelled of soil and fresh air.
“Do I look okay?” he asked me in a rude manner. “My wife has left me again and this time she’s chasing scumbags while I can’t protect her. I’m fucking furious with the world, and not least, you four. Locking Laura in our room until she saw reason would have been the kind thing to do.” He pointed a finger at Khan. “I swear if anything happens to her, I blame you.”
Khan had deep frown lines on his face and pointed to a chair. “Come sit down, you look like you’re about to drop.”
Magni plunked down on a chair, his arms dangling toward the floor. “We’ve been fighting back men who tried to cross the border tonight.”
“You’ve been out all night?” I asked and sat down again.
“What else was I supposed to do?” Magni muttered. “Lie restless in my bed and worry? At least the situation by the border keeps me busy.” He rubbed his face. “Although it feels wrong to stop the men from crossing the border, when I want to cross it myself. I fucking hate that Laura is on the other side of that wall.” Magni nodded to the breakfast plate that I hadn’t touched. “Are you going to eat that?”
I pushed the plate across the table and he noisily moved his chair closer to the table, and reached for the food.
“What are you all doing having a meeting this early anyway?” he mumbled with food in his mouth.
Khan shot me a hard glare that indicated he wanted me to stay quiet, but Magni was my best friend and I wasn’t going to keep something like this from him.
“I found out this morning that Tristan is my biological son, I said, and Magni’s eyebrows drew closer.
“It turns out that we Nmen have been donating our sperm to the Motherlands for years without knowing it. Tristan is only one out of many children fathered by an Nman.”
Magni stopped chewing and looked at Khan. “What the hell is he talking about?”
Khan sighed. “It was a deal our father made with the Motherlands almost two decades ago, and one that I’ve chosen to honor as it’s part of the peace treaty.”
“What deal? Why didn’t I know about it?”
“Our sex-bots are programmed to collect sperm from the best suited candidates and then it’s transported to the Motherlands.”
“The best suited candidates?” Magni shook his head. “Based on what?”
“Height, strength, and performance. Men who are out of shape or show signs of respiratory diseases are not chosen. It’s always been that way.”
Magni looked at Khan but pointed at me. “Why does Finn know about this when I don’t?”
“Because Boulder told him, I assume,” Khan said matter-of-factly.
Magni looked like a thundercloud. “So, Finn and Boulder know, but I don’t?”
Khan’s silence confirmed that.
“And what about Pearl? Did she know as well?” Magni hissed.
Khan spoke almost without moving his lips. “She was the one who revealed it to Boulder in the first place.”
“Magni,” Pearl said in a placating tone. “I only knew because I was on the Motherlands Council. All Council members know about it,” Pearl defended herself, but that only infuriated Magni further.
“What other secrets are you keeping from me?” he roared at Khan. “I’m supposed to be your right hand and the second in command in the Northlands, but it seems to me that Pearl is running our country and you’re her puppet.”
“Take that back!” Khan stood up and squared his chest, emanating authority. “You’re tired, hungry, and angry because of Laura’s choice, but you do not get to offend me like that.”
“You fucking asked me to leave during the negotiations,” Magni threw at Khan. “What kind of signal is that to send to the Momsies?”
